Glen Bonin this weekend learned the same lesson as John Hammond: Never mess with ancient reptiles.

Bonin and two buddies came across an 11-foot alligator that was blocking Prater Road in Sulphur, so they hopped out their vehicle, and attempted to relocate the toothy beast.

A nearby motorist caught it all on her cell phone, and provided the raw footage to television station KPLC.

At first, the men were somewhat cautious with the gator, throwing T-shirts over its eyes and attempting to drag it by its tail. But before long, they got close to its mouth, and the gator clamped down on Bonin's hand.

"I've always been the kind of guy who learns the hard way," Bonin told KPLC. "It felt like someone was pulling my arm out. I thought I was about to lose something. It felt like it lasted forever."

The wound required 80 stitches to close, Bonin said.

"Hopefully with therapy, I'll be able to straighten out my ring finger and pinky a little bit," he said.